Server side printing from batch reports.

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Posted on by Chris Chesser

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I have seen the past posts on the forum concerning printing Dynamics AX 2009 reports run in server batch to AOS server printers, and according those posts it is not possible to print to AOS server printers because of the server code call to client code. Those posts are somewhat aged now, and I would like to know if anyone knows if that still holds true.

I have come close to printing server run batch reports simply by changing the 'runon' property of the report menu item to 'server' and making the necessary selections when running the report.. The report runs on the server and ends successfully without errors, but no report is printed. I can print to file and print archive with this method, but not to AOS server printers.

Some of the posts I have seen mentioned 'AOS: prefixed' printers that are supposed to be selectable from the printer dropdown list when selecting a printer, but I do not see any of these in my list. I have made the necessary configuration changes to the server and client and can see the server printers, but none have an AOS: prefix, and I cannot find any information on how these printers get prefixed. Does anyone have any more information regarding this?

Thanks,

Chris

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Dick Wenning 8,705 Moderator on at

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this drop down stuff is in case an ax client want to use a local configured printer on the AOS,

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Chris Chesser 220 on at

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Thanks for the reply Dick. I understand The dropdown list and can print to a printer from the list if I run the report in client batch, but I am looking for specific information on the AOS: prefixed printers. The implication from what I have seen is that if I can select one of these printers I can print to it from server batch.

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Community Member on at

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Hi, in general there is now issue in printing to server printers as i know. You are right to change the class to "server", so the generation of the report is done on the aos. But it is important that the right printer is selected in that case and that the printer is available on the server.

In most of the cases - when it's not printing - the issue is, that der ax can't finde the printer on the aos server. Try logging on with the aos user (the one the aos service is running) and log on as that user. Then install the printer there and try again.

I have also seen the AOS prefix some times, but I am not sure what that's about. You may also instantiate the SysPrintOptions class with a class and static server void main to get the list of possible printers via code. Then you see what ax sees on the server side.

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Tim Schofield on at

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I think that AOS prefixed printers appear in AX when you log on to Windows as the user which is running the AOS and setup printers in that user's control panel (just like you select a printer near you in your office). You probably have to do that on the AOS server but it's been a while .....

By the way - does anyone know if is this the same in AX 2012? and also how Microsoft get away with having an ERP which can't print in batch or send invoices by email from a batch job (only joking - mostly).

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Chris Chesser 220 on at

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Thanks to AndiRudi and Tim. This was the problem. Logging onto the aos server and installing the printers as the aos service userid allowed me to see and select the AOS: printers. We are running cluseterd aos's and I installed the printers on all servers.

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Sanjivkumar Kori 145 on at

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Hi Chris - is there any best practice document which tells to setup AOS Server as a Print Server. Correct me if i am wrong here - installing printers on AOS server will designate it as a Print Server,

Also how is it with Performance with this setup? Please let me know.

Thanks In Advance,

Sanjivkumar Kori.

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Community Member on at

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Hm, I think you're right. If you are on high load it may be a good scenario to setup one AOS as batch-server + batch-printer and you setup a group for batch-printing on that particular AOS.

As an alternative you can install the printers on a print server and then install a redirect from your aos to the print server?!

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Sanjivkumar Kori 145 on at

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Thanks for the reply Andi - but if we install printers on a print server & share them globally - the batch job that Prints the picking list takes a lot amount of time.

Here is what i have done - to increase the performance of the batch job - i have installed the Printers on the AOS server itself - which worked as desired,

Now when i try to print a single picking route from a client, i am not able to print it with Print management setup - there is no error no info as to what its processing.

Note: on Client configuration i have set the option "Connect to printers on the server"

let me know if there is workaround for this one or what?

Thanks In Advance.

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